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Welcome
We, the parish of Sacred Heart, are committed to enriching the Spirituality of the parish family, the Christian community, and all brothers and sisters created in God's divine image and likeness. We are called by the Holy Spirit, under the leadership of our Bishop and Pastor, to assist others through the development and promotion of various ministries. We pray for Divine guidance that we may serve others with truth, courage, forethought, and compassion.
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Online Giving
You can now donate/tithe/contribute online towards the needs of our church.
Please visit our online-giving page at the top bar of this page. -
FR. MARK WATSON - HOMILY
SURVIVAL, MISSION, ABUNDANCE:
RISEN LIFE AS THE BODY OF CHRIST
by: Fr. Mark Watson, Pastor
In order to celebrate the Season of Easter, St. Mary of the Pines will host a mission presented by Fr. Mike Joly. The topic of his mission is Survival, Mission, Abundance: Risen Life as the Body of Christ.
He will speak in St. Mary of the Pines Church on Sunday, April 18; Monday, April 19 and Tuesday, April 20. Each evening he will speak at 6:00 pm. You will be able to meet Fr. Mike at the weekend Masses of the parish. Please invite family members and friends as his presentations will be of value to Christians of all denominations.
Fr. Mike Joly has served as a Roman Catholic priest for twenty-one years. He attended Providence College and Rhode Island College and secured a B.S. in Human Resources Management. He obtained his Bachelors of Sacred Theology and Masters of Divinity degrees from St. Mary Seminary and University in Baltimore. He was ordained to the priesthood in November of 1994. He has served as an assistant pastor in three churches. While serving as assistant pastor he helped lead various retreats for adults and youth. In addition he helped to manage a retreat center in Virginia and served as campus minister to the students at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Currently, Fr. Joly is pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Yorktown, Virginia and loves teaching, preaching, singing, witnessing Christ’s work in others and living a joy filled life of faith.
Fr. Joly has been completely blind since age six, but he nonetheless strives to use his talents and time to fully live out his vocation. His life is a celebration of the God who has so richly blessed him. He welcomes opportunities to share what motivates his life and how to approach obstacles. He finds meaning, purpose, and direction in his relationship with Jesus Christ and in his ministry as a priest, Fr. Joly works to communicate how universally available this meaning, purpose and direction is for all people.
You are invited to attend these three presentations. Come in order to experience God’s love for you in a deeper way and to be inspired to share the message of God’s love with others. Child care will be provided during the presentations.
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LENTEN SCHEDULE
Our parishes will offer many ways to deepen our faith during the Season of Lent. On the back of the bulletin I have included a schedule of the various Lenten programs that will be held. Please make room in your lives and your calendars for these various events. I encourage you to invite family and friends to these programs.
ASH WEDNESDAY MASSES (Fast & Abstinence)
St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church 8:30 am
Sacred Heart Catholic Church 12:00 Noon
St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church (Bilingual 6:30 pm)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Fish Fry on Friday Evenings (Except First Friday of Lent 2/19/21)
Friday during Lent at 5:00 pm (Abstain from Meat)
St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church
Fish Fry on Friday Evenings (Take Out)
Each Friday during Lent at 5:30 pm (English) (Abstain from Meat)
Each Friday during Lent at 6:30 pm (Spanish) (Abstain from Meat)
LENTEN RECONCILIATION
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Wednesdays during Lent after 8:30 am Mass in Rectory office, except for March 10th.
There will be NO Confessions on March 10th.
Confessions will be after the 8:30 am Mass in the Rectory and from 4 pm to 6 pm in the church on March 17th.
St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church
Saturdays at 3:00 pm
Sundays from 10:00 am to 11:15 am
PARISH EASTER MISSION
Survival, Mission Abundance: Risen Life as the Body of Christ
Presenter: Fr. Michael Joly
Where: Saint Mary of the Pines Catholic Church
Dates: Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Monday, April 19, 2021 at 6:00 pm
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 6:00 pm
ALMSGIVING OPPORTUNTIES
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES OPERATION RICE BOWL
CHRISTIAN SERVICE: BRING TO CHURCH - BOTTLED WATER, STYROFOAM TO GO PLATES AND PLASTIC UTENSILS -
FR. JEAN BOSCO UWAMUNGUHOMILYThird Sunday of Lent B
by; Fr. Jean Bosco Uwamungu
When missionaries came to evangelize Africa, they made sure they were introduced to the ruling kings in territories they had decided to establish themselves. But most of the time they were given remote places where people had been difficult to submit to their rulers, hoping that the missionaries would be discouraged and abandon their projects. They would select for them tough and hostile areas inhabited by tough people who would not support them. They were given places where tribal and clan clashes prevailed. They would be given arid areas where crops would be difficult to grow: rocky and escarped terrains, marshy valleys with unsuspected seasonal flooding. But the missionaries had a goal: to spread the gospel, to make people less wild among themselves, to open their hearts and spirits to the kindness and mercy of God, to show them the power and wisdom of God.
These missionaries started with local means: thatched houses covered with grass. They took their time to visit villages and talk to parents through translators, invite the young ones to the parish, telling them the bible stories and progressively had crowds that would be willing to learn writing and reading in their vernacular languages. Classes for instructions were opened, hygiene standards were taught, and cash crops were introduced. Bartering their products continued for some time, parallel to the use of money in their commerce. They did not start saying things like, “you should abandon your idols, honor the day of the Lord with rest and prayer, stop polygamy” and so forth. They introduced the commandments through practical activities, once they were sure they had been welcomed by the community, after they had helped them with their health issues through nuns and lay teachers, after they had showed them the importance of washing themselves and their clothes, after they had dug latrines and built silos and granaries for grains and so forth.
It is easy to know and enumerate the commandments of the Lord but the most important and difficult thing is to live them, personally, as a family, as a group, as a community. The Torah – all the laws revealed to Moses – as it appears in the first five books of the Bible, has been a stumbling block for Israel. All along, the prophets reminded Israel of the importance of keeping God’s commandments. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel” (Micah 4:4). The time they honored the Lord, peace prevailed. The time they did their own things, wars, deportation, drought and other calamities fell onto them.
We consider Israel as the first born for our faith. He served as testing ground for us, to see and understand what is kept in store for us, if we disobey and neglect the commandments: the general ones and their subtleties as applied in everyday life. The sellers of sheep and the changers of money had never examined themselves to discover if it was wrong to conduct their business in the Temple. How many of us forget that Sunday is a sacred day for prayer and visit the unfortunate? Business is going on as usual and we pretend not to see it. Israel remained seventy years in captivity for having ignored that the land should lie fallow every six years.
Six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather their fruits; but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD; you
shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard (Leviticus 25:4)
This event of the purification of the Temple is allegoric for us. Our bodies being the dwelling places of the Holy Spirit, it is essential we keep them clean, healthy and steady. There are many things today keeping our minds dirty, roaming, vagabond and unstable, unable to concentrate on prayer and other devotions. Ask the Lord to remove all of them. Some vices are well hidden and entrenched in our flesh. Only HE can utterly purify our bodies and souls through the sacraments.
Amen! -
NEW MASS TIMES
Sacred Heart has a Saturday evening mass beginning at 5:30 pm. In addition, our Sunday morning mass is at 11:00 am. During the weekday we only have one Mass at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. Confession is every Wednesday after the 8:30 am Mass in the Rectory. On March 10th confession is not after the 8:30 am Mass, but will be from 4 pm to 6 pm in the church.
The Saturday evening mass is livecast on Sacred Heart Facebook Page. -
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY JAN. 18 - 25, 2021
The theme for this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, "Abide in my love...you shall bear much fruit," is from John 15:1-17
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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a history of over 100 years , in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. By annually observing the WPCU, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper "that they all may be one." (cf. John 17:21)In preparation for the WPCU, ecumenical partners in a particular region were asked to prepare a basic text on a biblical theme. Then an international group organized through the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity edited this text, which was jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and WCC, through their Commission on Faith and Order. The WCC accompanied the entire production process of the text. The final material was sent to member churches and Roman Catholic dioceses, and they were invited to translate the text and contextualize it for their own use.
Further promotional and preparatory materials for the 2021 WPCU can be found through the World Council of Churches and the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute websites, including:
- Suggestions for observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
- Thematic poster art, music, and prayer cards (English/Spanish)
- Scripture readings, commentaries and questions for reflection
- Ecumenical prayer service model
- Historical and contextual information
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THE HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTION FOR THE YEAR 2021
THE HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS ENTRUSTED TO HIS WORLDWIDE PRAYER NETWORK FOR THE YEAR 2021
JANUARY: Intention for evangelization - Human fraternity
May the Lord give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters of other religions, praying for one another, open to all.
FEBRUARY: Universal intention - Violence against women
We pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their sufferings considered and heeded.
MARCH: Intention for evangelization - Sacrament of reconciliation
Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
APRIL: Universal intention - Fundamental rights
We pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis.
MAY: Universal intention - The world of finance
Let us pray that those in charge of finance will work with governments to regulate the financial sphere and protect citizens from its dangers.
JUNE: Intention for evangelization - The beauty of marriage
Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience.
JULY: Universal intention - Social friendship
We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.
AUGUST: Intention for evangelization - The Church
Let us pray for the Church, that She may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel.
SEPTEMBER: Universal intention - An environmentally sustainable lifestyle
We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.
OCTOBER: Intention for evangelization - Missionary disciples
We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavour of the Gospel.
NOVEMBER: Universal intention - People who suffer from depression
We pray that people who suffer from depression or burn-out will find support and a light that opens them up to life.
DECEMBER: Intention for evangelization - Catechists
Let us pray for the catechists, summoned to announce the Word of God: may they be its witnesses, with courage and creativity and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Vatican, 31st January 2020
Francis
Original : Italian -
Pope Francis Announces Year ofSt. Joseph for 2021
Plenary Indulgences Available for the Year of Saint Joseph
The Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree on December 8, 2020, formally announcing the decision of Pope Francis to celebrate the Year of Saint Joseph through December 8, 2021. Special opportunities to receive a plenary indulgence were also included, subject to the usual conditions: sacramental confession, reception of Holy Communion, prayer for the intentions of the Pope, and total detachment to all sin, including venial sin.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Holy See made provision in its decree that persons who are currently unable to go to Mass or confession because of public health restrictions may defer reception of those two sacraments until they are able to do so. Those who are sick, suffering, or homebound may also receive the plenary indulgence by fulfilling as much as they are able and by offering their sorrows and sufferings to God through Saint Joseph, consoler of the sick and patron saint for receiving a good death.
The following prayers and activities have been enriched with a plenary indulgence:
• meditate for at least 30 minutes on the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) or participate in a spiritual retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on Saint Joseph;
• perform a corporal or spiritual work of mercy, inspired by the life and example of Saint Joseph;
• pray the Rosary together as a family or a couple, modeling the virtues of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph;
• dedicate with confidence their daily work to the protection of Saint Joseph the Worker, including the efforts of those who are unemployed, underemployed, or seeking more dignified work;
• devoutly recite the Litany of Saint Joseph (from the Latin Church; available at USCCB.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/litanies/litany-of-saint-joseph),1 some or all of the Akathistos hymn to Saint Joseph (from the Byzantine Churches), or another suitable prayer in each liturgical tradition, especially for the intentions of persecuted Catholics in the Church and around the world, and for the relief of all Christians who suffer persecution; or
• devoutly recite an another approved prayer to Saint Joseph, for example the “To you, O blessed Joseph” (available at USCCB.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayer-to-st-joseph-after-rosary),2 especially on various feasts of Saint Joseph: March 19 (his solemnity), May 1 (St. Joseph the Worker), the Sunday after Christmas (Holy Family), St. Joseph’s Sunday (Byzantine Catholics), or on the 19th day of each month, or each Wednesday, traditionally dedicated to honor his memory with pious devotions.
To assist the faithful, the final page of the (attached) Newsletter includes several prayers for Saint Joseph drawn from approved sources, including the recent Apostolic Letter Patris Corde by Pope Francis, and the Roman Missal.____________________________________________________________________________
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Sunday Mass Schedule
- Sat: 5:30 PM English English EN
- Sun: 11:00 AM English English EN
Daily Mass Schedule- Wed: 8:30 AM English English EN
Special Masses -
Confession Times
After Wed. Morning Mass and
by Appointment (Except Mondays) -
Sacred heart info
Location:
4736 Lyba Street
Shreveport, LA 71109-0467
Postal Mail:
4736 Lyba Street
Shreveport, LA 71109-0467
Rectory: 318-635-2121
Church: 318-635-2121
Fax: 318-635-5226
Gabriel Hall: 318-635-5446 -
Today's Readings
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Reading I Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28aResponsorial Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21Gospel Mt 21:33-43, 45-46
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